Reader suggests plan of attack

Page 7

Dear Editor:

The past Assembly of First Nation National Chief Ovide Mercredi and the current Chief Phil Fontaine have both suggested some form of direct action without being very specific. Mercredi favors a full frontal revolution while Fontaine seems to prefer a tiptoe diplomatic dance of some sort. A war dance or a sneak-up?

Both Mercredi and Fontaine desire unity among tribes, chiefs, and reserve and off-reserve Aboriginals. Maybe we can have both types of direct action so we don't end up squabbling like seagulls. We have to think big and small at the same time, so here's the plan.

The first step is for every band to try to locate and invite

its members back and also include those relatives who may be non-status and non-members. We need all the bodies we can get. Every Aboriginal person should be given a choice if they want to go back to their traditional territory regardless of status. It is even more difficult for those of us who have tribal members on both sides of the Canadian-American border.

The next step is for every band to reclaim all adjacent unoccupied Crown land and authorize members to move in at the risk of arrest. No price is too high. The price we have been paying is higher.

After the tribal and band members have been notified of the action, then we have to ask all the supporters of Aboriginal people to put up or shut up. We must invite them to help occupy our traditional territories and also risk arrest. Anything less would not be enough.

The artificial boundaries of time and space on Indian country are too restrictive and strangle the Indian soul. Sometimes it's the little things that derange human beings. The unnatural calendar that everyone uses, puts us out of sync with nature. Our brothers to the south, the Maya, have a calendar which is more in sync with the rhythm and cycles of life and the universe. Maybe the Maya would be willing to let us use their calendar to replace the current crazy-making Roman calendar.

The next thing is to get rid of the imaginary by-products of the economy, e.g. interest rates or interest altogether, but that's another story. Shall we dance? All my relations.

Meegwetch,

Daniel George

Burnaby, B.C.